Committed to DEI? Inspiration and Resources to Lean in

2025 is shaping up to be the year of DEI in the headlines, for better and for worse. Given that, it’s a good time to address the lingering confusion around DEI and what it truly means – and, if you’re so inclined, to get up to date on resources that can help you prioritize DEI in your place of work.

To clarify, DEI is not the same as affirmative action. While affirmative action is a remedial measure for specific groups, DEI (which stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) focuses on creating a more inclusive environment for everyone.

Creating a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace takes intentional effort. Here are practical, free resources to help you get started.

1. Start with a DEI Survey

Before making changes, understand where your employees stand on the topic. A survey helps identify gaps and set a baseline for improvement. 

2. Create a DEI Policy

A clear policy ensures transparency and accountability. Use it to guide decisions, align expectations, and reinforce your commitment to DEI.

3. Provide DEI Training

DEI training should be company-wide, from leadership to interns. Bonus points if you follow up with roundtable discussions to provide a forum for discussion.

4. Create a DEI Glossary of Terms

Language matters. As part of the training program, it is important to review common terms, their meanings, and their importance.

5. Tune up Your Hiring

The hiring process offers plenty of opportunities to implement DEI-friendly policies. 

• Job description: Include your DEI policy and gender-neutral language.
• Interviews: Make sure all candidates answer the same questions during interviews, and if there is an assessment, make it fair and equitable by providing the same assessment to all applicants. 
• Barriers to entry: Remove barriers that are not essential to the job function. Does the role require a certification, college degree, or minimum years to perform the job? Or are they nice-to-haves? Be sure to be clear in the job description.

6. Provide Flexibility/Remote Work Options

We’re steadfast believers in remote work here at JDM, and you may wonder how that contributes to DEI. By having a remote workforce, companies can hire the best talent regardless of geographic location. Employees may be located in remote areas, have medical needs that are best managed at home, or have to move often (like yours truly as a military spouse). 

Flexibility is key—expecting everyone to work the same hours in the same place is outdated. People thrive in different environments and schedules, so allowing autonomy increases productivity and inclusivity.

7. Implement Fun Ways to Include Employees

Inclusion means creating opportunities for employees to connect and share their experiences. At a fully remote company, it can be challenging to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to make connections and learn about what makes each of us unique. 

Here’s what we do at JDM:

• Humans of JDM: Weekly icebreaker questions in All-Hands (“What’s your latest binge-watch?”).
• Learning Lab: Employees share insights from recent conferences or trainings.
• PowerPoint Parties: Fun, casual presentations on anything—from "Where I'd Rank in The Hunger Games" to "The Justin/Blake Drama Breakdown."

At JDM, we don’t consider DEI to be a controversial topic; we’re fiercely committed to improving it at our organization every day. Keep an eye on the JDM blog as we continue to provide perspective and resources for instilling DEI principles in your organization.